The Tasting Panel magazine

August 2017

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COCKTAIL COMPETITIONS
SANDEMAN PORTO SLIPS INTO ITS
SUMMER SKIN
by Becky Tsadik / photos by Hardy Wilson
News flash: Port is so much more than a cozy winter
sipper. This summer, San Francisco Bay Area bartenders, bar
chefs and mixologists proved that Port can shine in a variety
of summer cocktails in a competition sponsored by The House
of Sandeman.
"These Bay Area bartenders and mixologists really rose to
the challenge, not only for the love of the craft, but for the love
of neighbors in their community––as the competition benefits
Project Open Hand," says Anna Budarina, Sandeman Brand
Account Manager, Pernod Ricard USA. "Not only did we have
a tremendous level of participation, but the drinks were amaz-
ing! And the six finalists who made it to the final round proved
to be the best of the best."
Six contestants moved onto the final round, a timed
competition in the San Francisco's Financial District, in front
of judges Becky Tsadik, Events Director, The Tasting Panel;
Chris Tunstall, Consultant & Mixologist, A Bar Above, and
Tara Blake, Marketing Communications Officer, Project Open
Hand. Cocktails were judged on taste, originality, presentation
and response to the challenge of creating a Port cocktail for
the summer season. The winning cocktail and bartender was
flown to New Orleans to be featured at a Sandeman dinner
at Tales of the Cocktail. (Pick up the September issue of The
Tasting Panel for a recap of this activation!)
Out of one of the world's oldest, most established wine
regions, Porto wine dates back to 1756. Shortly afterward,
Sandeman was founded, in 1790 (see sidebar on page 117).
Situated in the Douro Valley, Sandeman's Quinta do Seixo
estate is home to wooden casks containing wines that have
been aging for two centuries. The brand has grown to include
more than a dozen award-winning varieties, including
Sandeman Porto Ruby Founder's Reserve, the number-one-
selling Port in the United States. For the San Francisco compe-
tition, bartenders used either the rich ruby red Sandeman
Ruby or golden amber Sandeman Tawny Port, aged in small
oak casks. Many drew on the heritage of the brand and the
production processes as inspiration for their cocktails.
Shaking up
San Francisco
The judges for the Sandeman San Francisco
Port Cocktail Competition (left to right): Becky
Tsadik, Events Director, The Tasting Panel; Chris
Tunstall, Consultant & Mixologist, A Bar Above,
and Tara Blake, Marketing Communications
Officer, Project Open Hand.